R&B star Chris Brown congratulated his ex-girlfriend Rihanna with a kiss at the MTV Video Music Awards on Thursday after she picked up the prize for Video of the Year.

Rihanna took to the stage at the Los Angeles Staples Center to accept the accolade for her collaboration with Calvin Harris, We Found Love, and after picking up the trophy she was greeted with a tender embrace and quick kiss from Brown, who is currently dating model Karrueche Tran.

The exchange took place three years after the couple broke up on the eve of the 2009 Grammy Awards when he famously left her battered and bruised during an argument.

Coincidentally Rihanna, who just last month called Brown the "love of my life" during an interview with TV mogul Oprah Winfrey, was also seated close to Brown in the front row.